ROUTES
Cheap flights to Nigeria from the USA: Lagos, Abuja and the December rush
What round trips to Lagos and Abuja cost from US cities on November 2, 2026, the two nonstops, bags, the e-Visa, the new Ebola screening and the states the State Department says to avoid.
Most trips from the US to Nigeria land in Lagos, and in our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, Lagos was cheaper than Abuja from every US city that had fares to both. The lowest round trip was $625, from Washington, DC. Before you book, two things have changed: Nigeria restarted Ebola screening at its airports in late October, and the State Department's Level 3 advisory names several southern states where many families live. Both are covered below.
Lagos or Abuja?
Lagos (LOS), Murtala Muhammed International, is where most international flights arrive and where both US nonstops go. Abuja (ABV), Nnamdi Azikiwe International, serves the capital and the north, and we found no nonstop to it from the US.
Four US cities had fares to both, and Lagos was cheaper from each one: $625 against $1,430 from Washington, $696 against $2,289 from Houston, $896 against $1,157 from New York, and $1,292 against $1,349 from Los Angeles. If your family is near Abuja, price a fare to Lagos plus a domestic flight as well as a fare straight to Abuja.
| From | Lowest seen | Typical | Month of lowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $625 | $1,048 | Jan 2027 |
| Houston | $696 | $1,397 | Feb 2027 |
| Atlanta | $761 | too few fares | Jan 2027 |
| New York | $896 | $1,044 | Dec 2026 |
| Dallas | $900 | too few fares | Jul 2027 |
| Los Angeles | $1,292 | too few fares | Dec 2026 |
| Chicago | $1,352 | too few fares | Dec 2026 |
| From | Lowest seen | Typical | Month of lowest |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $1,157 | too few fares | Nov 2026 |
| Los Angeles | $1,349 | $1,927 | Feb 2027 |
| Washington, DC | $1,430 | $1,638 | Dec 2026 |
| Houston | $2,289 | too few fares | Dec 2026 |
Lowest seen is the cheapest round trip we found from each city; typical is the middle of all the fares we found from it, shown where there were at least three. These are recently found prices in our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, for travel between November 2026 and mid-2027. They are not live quotes and they change daily.
Look at the typical fare as well as the lowest. Houston's cheapest trip to Lagos was $696, but its typical fare was $1,397, so that low price was a rare date. Washington's typical fare, $1,048, and New York's, $1,044, are a better guide to what you'll pay.
The two nonstops
Delta flies daily from Atlanta to Lagos, and schedule data puts the flight at about 11 hours. United flies from Washington Dulles about four times a week. Delta also ran a seasonal New York (JFK) to Lagos nonstop last winter, from December 2, 2025 to January 16, 2026. When we checked in early November, Delta hadn't announced this winter's dates, so search JFK to Lagos for your dates before planning around it.
Everything else connects, usually in Europe, Istanbul, the Gulf, Casablanca or Addis Ababa, and the cheapest fares in our data had one stop each way. With one stop, the journey usually takes most of a day, so plan your pickup around the time you actually land.
Booking for December
December is when the most people fly home, for Christmas, New Year and the wedding season. In our data, the lowest New York, Los Angeles and Chicago fares to Lagos were still December trips, so cheap seats do exist. Search the first days of December and the second week of January as well as the dates around Christmas, and book once you see a fare you can live with.
Bags
Family trips to Nigeria usually mean heavy luggage, and the bag allowance can matter more than the base fare. A fare that's $80 cheaper but includes one checked bag instead of two can end up costing more once you pay for the second bag. Our guide to baggage allowances explains what to look for in the fare rules.
One ticket or two
A cheap flight to Europe plus a separate ticket on to Lagos can look like a saving. Each ticket is its own contract, though. If the first flight is late and you miss the second, the second airline owes you nothing, and you may have to collect your bags and check them in again. With heavy bags, a single ticket through to Lagos is usually worth a little more. If you do split it, our guide to layovers covers how long a gap to leave.
The e-Visa
US citizens need a visa for Nigeria, and you apply online through the Nigeria Immigration Service's e-Visa portal. The Nigerian Consulate in New York says a decision can come within 48 hours of a complete application, and that your passport should be valid for at least 180 days from the date you travel. Dual citizens entering on a US passport use the same system, and the consulate lists a separate visa type for people born in Nigeria who now hold a foreign passport.
Health: yellow fever and Ebola screening
According to the CDC's Nigeria page, you don't need a yellow fever certificate if you fly in directly from the US. You do if you've had a layover in a country with yellow fever risk, and Ethiopia is one, so a connection in Addis Ababa changes the rule. The CDC recommends the vaccine for every traveler aged 9 months or older anyway.
In late October 2026, Nigeria reactivated Ebola screening for all international arrivals after one confirmed case, a patient who has since been repatriated. The US Embassy's health alert of October 27 says travelers could be quarantined or told to self-isolate for at least 21 days. It asks everyone to fill in Nigeria's health declaration form at healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng before flying.
What the advisory says
The State Department rates Nigeria Level 3, "Reconsider travel", in an advisory reissued on June 12, 2026, citing crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping and patchy health care. It says do not travel to all or part of 23 states. Most are in the north, but seven are in the south: Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers outside Port Harcourt. Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt aren't on the list.
The advisory also says kidnappings for ransom "primarily target dual national citizens visiting Nigeria", and that the US government can't offer emergency services to Americans in many areas of the country. If your family lives in one of the listed states, read the full advisory and the US Mission's alerts before you plan the trip.
Quick answers
How much is a flight to Nigeria from the USA?
In our travel partner's fare data on November 2, 2026, round trips to Lagos started at $625 from Washington, DC and $696 from Houston. Typical fares from Washington and New York were just over $1,000, and Abuja started at $1,157 from New York.
Is there a direct flight from the US to Nigeria?
Yes, to Lagos. Delta flies daily from Atlanta, a trip of about 11 hours, and United flies from Washington Dulles about four times a week. We found no US nonstop to Abuja.
Do Americans need a visa for Nigeria?
Yes. Apply online through the Nigeria Immigration Service's e-Visa portal, evisa.immigration.gov.ng. The Nigerian Consulate in New York says a decision can come within 48 hours of a complete application.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for Nigeria?
The CDC says Nigeria doesn't require proof if you fly in directly from the US, but does if you've had a layover in a country with yellow fever risk, such as Ethiopia. It recommends the vaccine for every traveler aged 9 months or older either way.
Is there Ebola screening when you arrive in Nigeria?
Yes. In late October 2026 Nigeria reactivated Ebola screening for all international arrivals, and the US Embassy says travelers could be quarantined or told to self-isolate for at least 21 days. Fill in Nigeria's health declaration form at healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng before you fly.
Is it safe to travel to Nigeria?
The State Department rates Nigeria Level 3, "Reconsider travel". It says do not travel to all or part of 23 states, including Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo, and Rivers outside Port Harcourt. Lagos and Abuja aren't on that list.
Before you book
- Price Lagos and Abuja from your nearest big airport, and compare the typical fare with the lowest.
- Count the bags your family will check, and add their cost to every fare you compare.
- Apply for the e-Visa on the official portal, and check that your passport has at least 180 days left.
- Fill in the health declaration form, and check the yellow fever rule for your connection.
- Read the advisory if your plans go beyond Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt.
Ghana is the other big family route to West Africa; our guide to flights to Ghana covers Accra. For fares across the continent, see cheap flights to Africa.
